Commuting to Yakima? (Ellensburg, West Valley, Toppenish: for sale, apartment, crime)

[SawNothing]

I am in the process of relocating from Cincinnati to the Yakima area for at least 2 years. My wife is a chef and will likely not work while we are there. She'll be spending a lot of time gardening and walking our dogs around the neighborhood, so it is very important to me that we live in an area that is as safe as possible. I have my concealed carry permit, but would really like to not need that.

The posts on this board have just about convinced me that I don't want to move to Yakima proper, or several of the surrounding areas (Moxee, Terrace Heights, Naches, Toppenish). Selah still seems like a possibility, but the threads are either very positive or very negative. Plus it seems housing might be priced in such a way that I can't get back out when I need to leave.

That said, I'm starting to look at the surrounding area. Everyone seems to have good things to say about Ellensburg. Google Maps says that's a 45 minute commute. However, I'm wondering if that is a best case scenario? It also looks like I would have to cross a high pass. Is that a risk in wintertime?

Any recommendations for other areas, or corrections to my perceptions about the cities above is much appreciated.

I'm looking to spend up to $350K for a house if cost = safety.

[skinem]

Selah is a very nice town with a wide range of housing costs.

I think the 45 minutes is typical, but, it can vary wildly in the winter. During the winter, many avoid going over the ridge on the freeway and take the "Canyon road" which follows the Yakima River between Selah and Ellensburg--lower elevation which avoids the weather caused by the higher elevation. Often it is clear when there is ice or snow on the ridge.

BUT, when there is real winter weather down to Yakima's elevation, the canyon road can be tough, too. It's a two lane curvy road that can get very icy.

In general the Selah, West Valley, Cowiche, Highland, Gleed areas are all nice and plenty safe.

One thing I've noticed about really negative posts about places on CD, is that they are often hit-and-run type posts done by people with low post counts, someone who is often immature or has an axe to grind for whatever reason. Not always, but often.

Every place I've lived has had good and bad. Every place.

Full disclosure, I used to live in Selah as a single young man. I used to have immediate family there for decades and many are products of that school system.

I would move there tomorrow if able.

I would hate to make the daily drive from Ellensburg. Best case scenario given that travel time given is that you are spending 1.5 hours a day in a car, 7.5 hours a week, 30 hours a month. That's a lot of time seeing the same country over and over and over and over...

[j_k_k]

Originally Posted by skinem

I would hate to make the daily drive from Ellensburg. Best case scenario given that travel time given is that you are spending 1.5 hours a day in a car, 7.5 hours a week, 30 hours a month. That's a lot of time seeing the same country over and over and over and over...

And it's not exactly the most thrilling scenery there is, either. I mean, it has its own beauty, but it's still sagebrush and sand. (Although when it's real clear, Mt. Adams and Rainier are nice.) I personally wouldn't want to run Manastash daily all winter.

[skinem]

Originally Posted by j_k_k

And it's not exactly the most thrilling scenery there is, either...

Quite an understatement. I believe my in-laws called it "desolate".

Wait, that was all of eastern Washington...

[j_k_k]

Originally Posted by skinem

Quite an understatement. I believe my in-laws called it "desolate".

Wait, that was all of eastern Washington...

Out of all our splendid desolation, my vote for the most magnificent has to go to the Washington side of the Gorge from Paterson to Maryhill. In between, except for Roosevelt (which ain't much), there is virtually nothing. A French guest described it as un grand rien. And yet the elevated vistas are pure marvels--long as you have the sense to take literally the signs "NO GAS 88 MILES".

In any case, one can easily see some of the reasons Groves picked the region to build nuclear weapons and dump contaminants (thus ensuring a lasting economic base for the future Tri-Cities), and why the Army has a big firing range out here. You can shoot off all the howitzers you want up there; no one will notice and no one will care.

[SawNothing]

Originally Posted by skinem

Selah is a very nice town with a wide range of housing costs.

I think the 45 minutes is typical, but, it can vary wildly in the winter. During the winter, many avoid going over the ridge on the freeway and take the "Canyon road" which follows the Yakima River between Selah and Ellensburg--lower elevation which avoids the weather caused by the higher elevation. Often it is clear when there is ice or snow on the ridge.

BUT, when there is real winter weather down to Yakima's elevation, the canyon road can be tough, too. It's a two lane curvy road that can get very icy.

In general the Selah, West Valley, Cowiche, Highland, Gleed areas are all nice and plenty safe.

One thing I've noticed about really negative posts about places on CD, is that they are often hit-and-run type posts done by people with low post counts, someone who is often immature or has an axe to grind for whatever reason. Not always, but often.

Every place I've lived has had good and bad. Every place.

Full disclosure, I used to live in Selah as a single young man. I used to have immediate family there for decades and many are products of that school system.

I would move there tomorrow if able.

I would hate to make the daily drive from Ellensburg. Best case scenario given that travel time given is that you are spending 1.5 hours a day in a car, 7.5 hours a week, 30 hours a month. That's a lot of time seeing the same country over and over and over and over...

Thanks Skinem. I've been following your posts in other threads and they always seem well-reasoned and balanced. West Valley and Gleed are names that have popped into my list as something to check out. Cowiche and Highland are new names to me, I'll have to check them out.

If anyone else has recommendations, or can second these places, I'd appreciate it. While I grew up in a small town, my wife is from Philadelphia and she sees the world through different glasses. Sometimes that is good, sometimes it is not.

[M3 Mitch]

Actually there are several fine dining restaurants in Yakima where your wife could work if she wants.

Selah strikes me as quite nice. I like E-burg, but I wouldn't want to set up for a daily commute between there and ***. Canyon Road is picturesque and IMHO it's the way to go getting from *** to Eburg, but it's posted at 45 MPH and somewhat of a speed trap, not sure I would want to do that daily.

Friends of mine who live in Yakima proper say don't, the surrounding county is better.

Honestly my advice would be if you can come out and live unaccompanied (or with DW) in an apartment for a few weeks and scout the area out, that would be best. If we were doing this I would go out alone to "recon" and find the areas I thought were dangerous and then invite DW out to help select from the "good" areas. Outdated chivalry on my part I guess.

[SawNothing]

Originally Posted by M3 Mitch

Honestly my advice would be if you can come out and live unaccompanied (or with DW) in an apartment for a few weeks and scout the area out, that would be best. If we were doing this I would go out alone to "recon" and find the areas I thought were dangerous and then invite DW out to help select from the "good" areas. Outdated chivalry on my part I guess.

We'll be flying out for a visit in a couple weeks. Probably spend 2-3 days looking around. My company is very concerned about her fitting in, so while I'm checking out the office they've setup guides to show her around the area, wineries (she is also a sommelier), orchards, etc.

Once the job is a done deal, I'll probably commute from Cincinnati (out on Monday, back on Thursday) until our house sells. So I should be able to get some "recon" time in that way.

[M3 Mitch]

A chef/sommelier should have plenty of work opportunities in the general area of ***. Forgot to mention that there are some nice properties for sale on Canyon Road itself if a rural setting would work for you.

You will find that the northeast part of *** is quite upscale, lot of medical facilities, but according to friends who live there the "barrio kids" do come roaming up into that part. They say the *** city administration is pretty disfunctional and wish they lived outside the city limits.

The south side is, as it usually is (why is this anyway?) the rougher side of town.

So long as you guys use good sense, you should be fine really. You can use the "data" side of this website to compare Cinci and *** for crime statistics.

Again I go there roughly once a month with DW and have had no issues with security.

[SawNothing]

Thanks M3 Mitch. Appreciate the pointers. I will check out those places on Canyon Rd.